Did you know that women in the UAE have on average 81 shoes? I was very surprised to hear such a high number when Virgin Radio announced these survey results in May.

So I did a little bit of experimenting and googling. Counting all my shoes, everything from flip flops, running shoes, golf shoes, boots etc., I’ve an amazing 32 pairs. That means someone else must own a whopping 130 pairs to create this UAE average for the two of us.

Where do you just store all these shoes? As a business partner once said, “we live in Dubai. People have a shoe closet.” I was laughing. It was comical, yet, so true. But what about us who don’t have a specific room just for their shoes?

Google was happy to suggest 13,300,000 results within mere 0.34 seconds for my quest on “shoe storage”. Here are some of my favourite tips for your shoe storage:

Organising by type or colour?

When choosing the best storage option for your shoes, start asking yourself these questions first:

• When organising your shoes, is your preference for storing them by type or colour? Arranging your shoes by types lets you narrow down the style swiftly. A colour coordinated closet like a Charming Charlie store lets you to quickly visualise what goes with your outfit.Y Can any of the out-of-season shoes or those you wear less frequently (do you still need them?), store elsewhere?
• How much space do you have for your shoes?
• Do want to have all your shoes in sight? While we may not have much seasonal variances, winter shoes don’t need to be out on display in the summer time.
• What about those shoes that hurt or that you never where anyway? Can you give them away or sell them (if they’re still in good shape) or throw them out? You’d make more space for your current shoes.

Depending on your answers and the number of shoes you have, you can either opt for one or a combination of the storage types below.

Convert a deep bookshelf

Nothing simpler than taking a bookshelf or a trip to IKEA and converting a deep bookshelf into the new home for your shoes.

The classic storage wheel

If you’re looking for a bit of fun, check out this classic piece.

A shoe ottoman

If you’re keen to not only have some storage but also some seating options, a shoe storage bench or ottoman may be right for you.

A shoe box

Stackable boxes like these allow you keep shoes safe with the clear front allowing you to immediately see the pair. It’s easy to store these boxes, especially for out of season shoes, on shelves.

www.Totalwardrobecare.co.uk

Wall shoe storage

Whitney from Shanty-2-Chic shows you how to create hanging shoes racks in your home. It’s probably one of the cheapest options and if you don’t mind having the soles potentially touching the wall, this may be an option for you.

www.shanty-2-chic.com/

Under bed shoe storage

If your bed is higher up, you can utilise the space and store extra shoes underneath.

Shoe rack

It’s generally easy to assemble, yet, you may need multiple. Check whether they can be stacked on top of each other to save space.

The Lazy Susan for Shoes

Besides a shoe closet, this Lazy Susan the luxury version for storing up to 100 pairs.

Where and how do you keep your shoes? Have they taken over your home? Contact me if you are looking to organise your shoes, sandals, high heels boots, flip flops, wedges… We can create a unique and personalised solution for you!

Until next time,
Agni